Backers of Hamilton's libraries have urged the city council to get a move on in reopening the central library.
The Garden Place central library building was closed in November last year when it was discovered its third floor was only 15 per cent of New Build Standard in its seismic rating, short of the 34 per cent minimum required.
Initial costs of repair were put at $635,000 but have since ballooned over $800,000. An interim 'pop-up' central library service is currently housed in the municipal building's reception lounge.
In a letter to council in late July, Friends of Hamilton Public Libraries Association president Kathryn Parsons urged the council to fix the problems with the central library and get its services reinstated.
"Firstly we think the community should be advised about what is happening. The latest information from council says the current pop-up library is a temporary measure - but that was in December and six months later we have almost no news."
Of core concern to the group is the difficulty of access to the central library's historic and archival collections including photographic collections previously housed in the Waikato Museum.
"The heritage collections are effectively suppressed. They're not on the catalogue. All it needs is something saying 'currently not available'. It's a bit crazy. We should still be able to access archival and heritage items but apparently (gaining access to the closed library building) is a health and safety issue.
Ms Parsons understood a formal report was due to council which will outline the future options for the repair job, related costs including asking staff to "explore alternative cost-effective means of providing CBD library services and enhancing library services in current and future growth areas".
The association had fielded many complaints from its own members and the public frustrated by the lack of information around the closure and lack of access to the heritage and reference resources, she said.
"This is impacting on the central business area as the library is a centre for the whole community. Hamilton is the only level-one public library in the country that does not have a purpose-built central city library. Now is the time to act to build one.
"The central library is a key community service and a great drawcard and happening place for the central city," Ms Parsons said.
A briefing to council featuring options for the library is understood to be part of the city's 10-year plan deliberations in mid August.
City infrastructure committee head councillor Dave Macpherson said options for citing the reference and heritage collections somewhere else rather than in the "expensive" central city building, should be explored.
"Let's take some options to the public to have a good ground-floor location (for the popular reading material and computer terminal access)."
Mr Macpherson said while Hamilton's suburban libraries were too small to house archive collections, a better location could be found possibly in the central city or near the university - itself a hub for research work.